Geospatial Information, MDG’s and Malawi

Overview

• What is Geospatial Information (GI)?• How can GI help meet the MDG’s?• GI in the UK and Malawi• Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery• Conclusions

• What is Geospatial Information (GI)?• How can GI help meet the MDG’s?• GI in the UK and Malawi• Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery• Conclusions

What is Geospatial Information?

Anything than can be linked by location• 2 dimensional - map information – point, line, area• 3 dimensional – topography, geology• 4 dimensional – road/rail networks• Other GI - satellite imagery, diseases, climate,

census • Metadata – eg water boreholeAs much as 80% of information is spatially related.

Anything than can be linked by location• 2 dimensional - map information – point, line, area• 3 dimensional – topography, geology• 4 dimensional – road/rail networks• Other GI - satellite imagery, diseases, climate,

census • Metadata – eg water boreholeAs much as 80% of information is spatially related.

What is Geospatial Information?

• A Geographic Information System (GIS) stores data digitally

• Creates new information - explain events, predict outcomes, and plan strategies eg flood protection; crime prevention; climate modelling.

• The major challenges we face in the world today - overpopulation, pollution, deforestation, natural disasters, climate change-have a critical geographic dimension.

• A Geographic Information System (GIS) stores data digitally

• Creates new information - explain events, predict outcomes, and plan strategies eg flood protection; crime prevention; climate modelling.

• The major challenges we face in the world today - overpopulation, pollution, deforestation, natural disasters, climate change-have a critical geographic dimension.

How can GI help meet the MDG’s?

• MDG Africa Steering Group chaired by the UN Secretary General

• “Achieving the MDG’s…in Africa holds the promise of saving millions of lives..and ensuring that Africa’s children are empowered through education and good health to lead productive lives.”

• At the halfway point only 3 African countries will achieve them by 2015

• “Urgent action is needed to prevent hundreds of millions more people slipping into hunger – chronic hunger affects 1 in 6 people” OXFAM Jan 2009

• MDG Africa Steering Group chaired by the UN Secretary General

• “Achieving the MDG’s…in Africa holds the promise of saving millions of lives..and ensuring that Africa’s children are empowered through education and good health to lead productive lives.”

• At the halfway point only 3 African countries will achieve them by 2015

• “Urgent action is needed to prevent hundreds of millions more people slipping into hunger – chronic hunger affects 1 in 6 people” OXFAM Jan 2009

How can GI help meet the MDGs? Agricultural productivity Nutrition and schools feeding programmes Education Health systems, child survival, maternal health Family planning Vertical disease control programmes Infrastructure and trade facilitation National statistical system Comprehensive cross-sector public expenditure

programmes against clear quantitative targets.

Agricultural productivity Nutrition and schools feeding programmes Education Health systems, child survival, maternal health Family planning Vertical disease control programmes Infrastructure and trade facilitation National statistical system Comprehensive cross-sector public expenditure

programmes against clear quantitative targets.

How can GI help meet the MDG’s?

Agricultural Activity – doubling of food yields by 2012

• Crops – type, soils, gradients, climate, flooding, diseases, nutrition, pests, fertiliser….

• Water – rain-fed. wells, springs, taps, boreholes, rivers, streams, aquifers, irrigation systems, pollution, waterflow

• Related information – pollution, boundaries, utilities, earthquakes, ownership, market demand+access+transport type, historical data, imagery, census, climate change scenarios

Agricultural Activity – doubling of food yields by 2012

• Crops – type, soils, gradients, climate, flooding, diseases, nutrition, pests, fertiliser….

• Water – rain-fed. wells, springs, taps, boreholes, rivers, streams, aquifers, irrigation systems, pollution, waterflow

• Related information – pollution, boundaries, utilities, earthquakes, ownership, market demand+access+transport type, historical data, imagery, census, climate change scenarios

How can GI help meet the MDG’s?

Will help answer questions like……..• What sort of crops can I grow?• Is there repeat harvest potential?• Do I need fertilisers?• Do I need water? • What is the earnings potential?

Will help answer questions like……..• What sort of crops can I grow?• Is there repeat harvest potential?• Do I need fertilisers?• Do I need water? • What is the earnings potential?

GI in the UK and Malawi

• OS continually updates urban and rural township mapping

• Large scale = lots of information• Maps converted into digital format• Correlated with GPS• Information is widely used by professionals

for planning • £100 billion generated in the UK economy

(4% GDP) through investment of £100 million

• OS continually updates urban and rural township mapping

• Large scale = lots of information• Maps converted into digital format• Correlated with GPS• Information is widely used by professionals

for planning • £100 billion generated in the UK economy

(4% GDP) through investment of £100 million

GI in the UK and Malawi

• Maps up to 45 years old; no update program though some data is digitised

• Population has increased from 3 to 12 million > massive demographic changes

• Mapping based on old projection > correlation with GPS collected points unreliable

• MDG strategies affected at national and local level eg SWAP

• Maps up to 45 years old; no update program though some data is digitised

• Population has increased from 3 to 12 million > massive demographic changes

• Mapping based on old projection > correlation with GPS collected points unreliable

• MDG strategies affected at national and local level eg SWAP

GI in the UK and Malawi

• Initiatives like Africasoils; AfricaMap; WaterAid

• Correlation of data an issue• No programmatic approach to collection and

maintenance of national datasets.• Commercial enterprises collect datasets for a

specific project. Data not shared.• Many African NMOs are poorly resourced

• Initiatives like Africasoils; AfricaMap; WaterAid

• Correlation of data an issue• No programmatic approach to collection and

maintenance of national datasets.• Commercial enterprises collect datasets for a

specific project. Data not shared.• Many African NMOs are poorly resourced

Very High Resolution Satellite Imagery

• No restrictions• Low cost - $10 archive to $40 stereo/sq km –

Blantyre £5000• 0.4m pixel resolution• 8 band multi-spectral capability• Stereo - Geology, hydrology, topography• Almost daily revisit• 3d visualisation for environmental impact

• No restrictions• Low cost - $10 archive to $40 stereo/sq km –

Blantyre £5000• 0.4m pixel resolution• 8 band multi-spectral capability• Stereo - Geology, hydrology, topography• Almost daily revisit• 3d visualisation for environmental impact

Conclusions

• GI and achievment of MDG’s are interlinked • Reliable and contemporary GI is crucial to

development• Dated and limited GI in Malawi severly

restricts planning• Modern cost effective GI Technologies can

satisfy many of the requirements for base mapping

• GIS facilitates knowledge sharing

• GI and achievment of MDG’s are interlinked • Reliable and contemporary GI is crucial to

development• Dated and limited GI in Malawi severly

restricts planning• Modern cost effective GI Technologies can

satisfy many of the requirements for base mapping

• GIS facilitates knowledge sharing

Conclusions• Invest in Malawi National Mapping Agency –

hardware, software, training - each £1 invested in mapping could generate £1000 to the economy

• Need to establish a national GPS control network and height model

• Developing GIS skill base will encourage outsourcing from the West

• Further research required in VHRSI accuracy, processing and image recognition

• Set up national system of geospatial data collection and management

• Invest in Malawi National Mapping Agency – hardware, software, training - each £1 invested in mapping could generate £1000 to the economy

• Need to establish a national GPS control network and height model

• Developing GIS skill base will encourage outsourcing from the West

• Further research required in VHRSI accuracy, processing and image recognition

• Set up national system of geospatial data collection and management

ZIKOMO

www.geovision.co.ukwww.geovision.co.uk

Thanks to Derek Clarke, John Dickinson, WESM, John McCreadieThanks to Derek Clarke, John Dickinson, WESM, John McCreadie

www.nayd.org www.nayd.org